Opera’s new release of their mobile browser, version 9.5, may only be available to carriers and ODM partners at present, but that didn’t stop Arne Hess from fondling it while in Barcelona this past week.  Despite still being beta software, it manages to impress: according to Arne, “Windows Mobile smartphones will finally get a web browser which is – at least – on the same level as Apple’s iPhone browser or Nokia’s S60 web browser.” 

There’s a video walkthrough of the software over at Arne’s site, and the first batch of smartphones using the software should be released in the next few months.  A commercial release (and free trial) is expected in the Spring, priced at around $24.95.